War Horse (2011)

 "Be Brave"

*Spoilers*

War Horse (2011) is not simply just a war film, it is a film that has war in the background, and lays a foundation that the characters featured are able to react around. 

The film is about a young boy called Albert Narracote, (Jeremy Irvine) and his relationship with a horse, which he lovingly calls Joey. Early on in the film Joey is brought from an auction by Albert’s father (Peter Mullan) who should have originally purchased a large plough horse to plough his fields on his struggling farm. 

The attachment between horse and rider is evident very early on in the film. As you can see from the image below Spielberg uses medium and close up shots to capture both man and beast. The image below illustrates Albert’s success of placing a piece of farm equipment on Joey which at first he is reluctant to do. We see Albert demonstrate to Joey that the apparatus is safe and that by cooperating they can work together to save his father’s farm. These kind of shots create, at the beginning of the film, an emotional ride in which the audience is going to be involved in.

Albert takes on the challenge of training Joey as a ploughing horse, against the snide and unkind remarks from Lyons, (David Thewlis) the landlord of the farm in which the Narracote’s live. Albert’s belief in Joey is heart warming; this affection stays with Joey even when Albert is not in the same scenes with him.

Steven Spielberg is well known for big, blockbuster films. The family is always featured at the heart of the story, creating a foundation in which all audiences can relate to on some level: E.T (1982), Artificial Intelligence (2001) and even Jaws (1975) are some examples of this.
Costume design is very important in any film, War Horse is no different as we can recognise from how the Narracotes live, that they are quite poor. This is evident when Lyons visits the farm. He is wearing a dog tooth style suit with a black bowler hat. The costume design signifies that his profession involves money and heavily contrasts with how Ted is dressed. His costume is weather beaten and looks old and worn out. Much like his character, as we later find out that he is an old war hero and suffers from the memory of his involvement in fighting and conflict. Ted’s involvement on the farm often signifies his want and need to grow and produce. We learn that he may have been involved with killing a great many people which has mentally scarred him. By tending to his earth and growing vegetables it is as though he is using this as an outlet to forget his previous life. 

The costume design differs when Joey meets the young army soldier Captain Nicholls. The army costume is like a camouflage to all the soldiers featured in these scenes, they all somehow lose their identity whereas Joey and the other horses stand out and become significant characters in these war/fighting scenes. 

 I grasped from the film that it was cut into three separate stages of the story; the birth and early relationship of Joey and Albert, Joey going to war and living with an old French jam maker, (Niels Arestrup) and his granddaughter, (Celine Buckens) and finally the war, where he is later reunited with Albert. They separately reinforce the story, but together solidify the impact that the war has on not only human beings but on the animals that were sometimes cruelly made to work in aid of the war effort.

Spielberg relies a lot on the English countryside to set the scene for the narrative. It is apparent in the final scene of the film. When Joey and Albert return from the war the cinematography is breath taking, the reds, oranges, yellows and blues are all in contrast to what Albert and Joey were witness’ to in the war scenes. Black, white and grey are far from what the pair is used to, having been brought up on a farm in the countryside. Here Spielberg contrasts the two settings by making them the exact opposite of one another. When we return to the Narracote farm at the end of the film, Albert and Joey are not the only one’s comforted by the familiar settings of the farm and being reunited with his mother (Emily Watson) and father. We as an audience are also brought home from the trials and dangers which Joey and Albert have been subjected too.

  

The scene in which stands out for me is one where Joey becomes tangled up in barbed wire as he tries to, as I understood it, escape the war and the violence that it entails. Joey becomes stuck in the middle of no man’s land and cannot free himself from the wire. Joey draws the attention of not only the English soldiers but the Germans ones aswell. After identifying that the creature is a horse both English and German soldiers come to Joey’s aid. The German soldier has come equipped with a pair of metal cutters, the English one has not. Spielberg uses this potentially tense scene to inject some humour into the narrative. The German soldier calls to his fellow soldiers for more wire cutters, a wave of cutters are thrown from the trenches with no sign of anybody else wanting to rescue the horse. The English and German soldiers wish each other well and return to their respective trenches/side and country. I think this scene is very clever in bringing the two sides together not only in their involvement in the war but in identifying that neither solider wants to be fighting. Many men who were involved in war, as I can imagine, would rather have found an alternative method in sorting out their country’s troubles. This scene explains this in a very informal and humorous way and somehow reinforces the idea that at the end of the day everyone is human and suffers the same when under stress or conflict.
I really enjoyed War Horse, to be honest I knew I would as I not only enjoy Spielberg’s films but really felt quite teary when watching the trailer for the first time. I would say that this film is a full price purchase. I can’t wait to watch it again...tissues are a must!!

Kirsty

Shame (2011)

“We're not bad people. We just come from a bad place.”

It is hard to believe that Shame (2011) is only the second film from British director Steve Mcqueen. This gritty, urban film is sure to be a modern classic. At times it’s hard to watch, with explicit scenes demonstrating the seedy and lonely lifestyle of a sex addict.

The film is set in New York and follows the lives of Brandon (Michael Fassbender), the sex addict, and his needy sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan), a self-harmer. The film doesn’t have much more of an overall plot, no beginning or end; it is just a portrait of these two characters facing their inner demons. When we first meet Brandon, we are introduced to a successful business man, living on his own. The film is about the relationship of Brandon and Sissy, after Sissy falls out with a boyfriend and has to move in with Brandon, which extremely effects his sexual actions and in conclusion leads to a downward spiral and loss of control in both Brandon and Sissy’s life and relationship. 

From the outset of the film, the scenes portray Brandon as a lonely, cold individual, unable to make connections with people. The first scene shows Brandon, naked in his bed. All the walls of his room are white, his sheets are blue, giving a very clinical, cold atmosphere. There are shots of naked Brandon, walking past the camera, alongside an audio clip of phone call messages from Sissy. This shows their personality, Sissy being the needy type, Brandon being the stark opposite, only caring for himself and his instant gratification from masturbation.

Perhaps the most explicit scene of the film is near the end of the film, when Brandon has lost all control of his addiction and life. After an argument with his sister he goes out for sex. His whole costume has changed from the beginning of the film, dressing in suits and being clean shaven, to wearing casual jogging gear and looking unkempt with a bruise on his face. He ends up in threesome with two prostitutes . The extreme close ups of the actors and sexual acts completely trap Brandon in this addiction. Fassbender’s acting skills truly come out in the scene. There are no words, just a simple shot of his face, looking animalistic and grotesque. At this moment you can see the true horror, disgust and overall “shame” of his actions and his feeling of entrapment in his lifestyle.

Overall the film really deserves the reviews and attention that it seems to be getting. It is a very open and honest view of a man living with a sex addiction. The film captivates the audience from beginning to end, with very real and raw performances from both Fassbender and Mulligan. It was not simply made just to shock audiences with explicit sex scenes, but to show the brutal honest truth of living with an addiction. A brilliant film, probably not one to watch with Mum and Dad though.  My personal opinion is that I would buy this film for £6 in the HMV sale.

Reds

BAFTA Nominations

On finding out who and what films had been nominated for this year's BAFTA Awards we can honestly say that we're not too excited. Last year The King's Speech dominated the awards, seeing Colin Firth win Best Lead Actor as well as other more diverse films being nominated, such as: True Grit, Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One, The Social Network and Black Swan.


We have come to the conclusion that not one film really stands out. Not to say that we didn't enjoy the majority of the films that we did watch; My Week with Marilyn, Shame, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Drive, were all worthy of a mention and even a recommendation but in comparison to last years, they don't really hold as decent, 'BAFTA nominees.'

It goes without saying that we really enjoy a Harry Potter film, (see our 'shared love' section for proof) but in our opinion the films are not really recognised for their individual talents, such as soundtrack, costume and cinematography. Last year did see the franchise win 'Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema' but it never receives the recognition it deserves for the factors which make up the series. The score for Part 2, we believe, is by far the best from all the films. It's much more epic and poignant and has evolved with the series, making for a more adult conclusion to the series.   

As we are on the subject of Harry Potter, two words: ALAN  RICKMAN. Daniel Radcliffe was a firm believer that he was going to be recognised for his role as Severus Snape but on seeing the nominations his name doesn't appear, (disappointing!) It's fair to say that Alan Rickman is a perfectionist when it comes to the film roles in which he accepts, inhabiting all his characters attributes.  It seems a shame that he has been left out of the nominations as a recognition for his portrayal as the intense, but loyal character that is Professor Snape. He's like an onion-he's got layers.

Other actors we feel have been left out are, Mia Wasikowska for her portrayal of Jane Eyre. For such a young actor she really excells in showing the intense and raw emotions in the character. When she cried, we cried and for someone to move us like that, she deserves a mention or nomination!  

Ben Kinglsey should have been nominated for best actor/supporting for Hugo, where he plays the film director Georges Melies. His heart warming performance really stands out in the film and we truly believe he could rival the actors who have been nominated.

From the nominees listed for this year, our vote would be for the following:

Best Film- Drive

A diamond in the rough! We were going through a really bad patch of films at the cinema, and we didn't really expect much from Drive, but it delivered!  Amazing soundtrack, screenplay, actors. There is not one bad thing to say about this film!

Best British Film- (Tough Call) Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

Honestly this film deserves best British film just for the amount of British talent in it. Not just the old favourites, Gary Oldman and Colin Firth, but fresh talent like Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy!   

Best Actor- Michael Fassbender- Shame

This film really pushes all the boundaries and it takes someone with a great talent (pardon the pun) to pull it off. We have been a Fassbender fan for a long time, since 300 and Eden Lake and it is about time his work was recognised.


Best Actress- Michelle Williams- My Week With Marilyn

Odd choice for us, being such huge Meryl Streep fans, but Michelle Williams really takes on the persona of the tortured soul of Marilyn Monroe. This films take her far away from her early work in Dawsons Creek and shows her maturity and potential as a great actress.

Supporting Actress- Carey Mulligan for Drive

We love Carey Mulligan, but this seems to be the best out of a bad bunch. There are some film legends nominated like Judy Dench, but none of these roles really stand out for us.

Supporting Actor- Kenneth Branagh- My Week With Marilyn

Kenneth Branagh completely encapsulates the role of Laurance Olivier, even down to the very fine detailing, (a prosthetic chin) Kenneth portrayals him extremely well.

Original Music- The Artist

Being a silent film, the score for The Artist had to be good to captivate the audience. It sounds authentic to the era depicted and does its job of portraying the actions on screen.

Cinematography- Warhorse

Warhorse was visually a stunning film, Spielberg shows the natural beauty of the locations in which the film was shot in and relies on the scenery as a back drop to, at times, a very emotional, moving piece of cinema.

Director- Martin Scorcese for Hugo

Hugo sees Martin Scorcese completely stripped from his comfort zone- a complete contrast to Taxi Driver and his other well known films. It is beyond a children’s film and deals with a much more adult range of themes.

Costume- Jane Eyre

The dresses are stunning! That's all that needs to be said.

Special Effects- Tin Tin

The animation effects used by Steven Spielberg are revolutionary. Tin Tin stands out from the other films that are listed in its category. 

Make Up- The Iron Lady

Meryl Streep does not simply play the part of Margaret Thatcher- she is Margaret Thatcher. The signature hair style, blocks of colour that she is dressed in and the pearl necklace all contribute to what we today associate with the Iron Lady.

Rising Star- Tom Hiddleston 

Recognised in Thor, and more recently Warhorse, Tom Hiddleston is an acting talent which we believe has a bright future. He is very English and as such executes the parts he plays well, (bit of a dish as well- we won't lie to you!)

Enjoy the BAFTA's.